15 Ways to Get Started on Snowflaking

One of the best personal finance articles I’ve ever read is Snowflaking: A Primer, at I Paid For This Twice Already. Here’s an excerpt so that you get the idea:

Snowflaking is a spinoff of the Snowball approach to debt reduction popularized by Dave Ramsey. With the Debt Snowball method, you figure out what amount you can pay to debt every month, and then you keep paying that amount, even as your debts shrink and your minimums get smaller. To implement it, in a nutshell, make a list of all your debts, order them from either smallest to largest or highest interest to lowest interest (that is a debate in itself), and you focus all extra money above the minimum payments on a single debt (either the smallest total or the highest interest, I use interest order). As you eliminate debts, you apply the payment you were making to that debt to the next debt in line until the snowballing effect of decreasing minimums and increasing amounts applied to particular debts eliminates all the debts on your list.

Well, what are snowballs made of? Snowflakes! I have a set amount I pay to debt without fail every month that is above my minimum payment due (about $800). On top of that, I also try to collect up little bits of money wherever I can and I apply those as well to my top priority debt as immediately as possible. I take surveys online, I sell possessions on craigslist and ebay, I have yard sales, and any money I get from these endeavors goes directly to my debt. I also keep a very strict accounting of all the money that comes in every month and what I spend and everything left over at the end of the month not earmarked for future expenses also goes directly to debt. These are my snowflakes. I have averaged over $200 extra going to pay down my credit card debt every month due to these snowflaking efforts.

Many small snowflakes make a snowball, and no amount is too small for me to snowflake. I used to pay my credit card directly every time I collected a snowflake through their online interface, but now that I have moved my credit card debt to another card with a 0% interest offer, I collect the snowflakes and pay them once per week (I am limited to the number of payments I can make to this card a month). If you are able to and your debt is not at 0% interest, I highly recommend the “pay snowflakes immediately” method. The faster your balance is reduced, the less interest you will accrue.

Snowflaking is, quite simply, a great way to get aggressive with your debts. It gives you a little extra push towards achieving your goals. Even better, you can also “snowflake” towards any savings goals you might have.

Don’t know how to get started? Here are 15 ways you can get snowflaking going in your own life. These are low-impact ways – far from starting a side business – to earn a few bucks without devoting countless hours to a major project, things that sync very well with what you already do or can be picked up whenever you feel like it.

15 Tips to Get Start Snowflaking

1. Have a yard sale.

Go through your house, identify the items you don’t use much, and sell them. Put them out for sale in your yard over a weekend (with reasonable prices) and put that money straight towards your debts or other goals.

2. Keep your aluminum cans separate.

In Iowa (and in many other states), there is a nickel “deposit” that one pays for each aluminum can (or bottle) purchased. Keep these cans and bottles separate from other trash, then occasionally return all of them for $10 or so. It helps the environment and gives you a bit of snowflaking cash.

3. House-sit.

If someone you know goes on vacation, offer to house-sit for them, look after their pets, and so forth. It’s pretty easy work and can earn you some quick cash to knock down some debts.

4. Walk pets.

If you already walk your own pet in the morning, it’s not much of a stretch to stop by another house or two, pick up their pet, and walk that pet as well – for a fee, of course. Put that fee straight towards your financial goals.

5. Blow snow.

Got a snowblower? You’ll be blowing the snow from your own lawn anyway, so why not set up an arrangement where you’ll blow the snow from your neighbors’ driveways and walks for $10 or $20. Then, take that cash and put it towards your goals.

6. Eat a “free” meal.

Freeze your “utility” leftovers, then make a meal out of them once in a while – mix your leftover rice, vegetables, and chicken pieces to make a “free” meal. That’s worth $5, easy, so just snowflake $5 when you do it.

7. Take surveys.

It’s a great way to make a few bucks at your computer while watching a TV show or a movie. It’s not a great money maker, but it’s low-intensity and can be done whenever it fits your schedule.

8. Mow lawns.

Got neighbors who can’t mow very often? Mow their lawn whenever you mow theirs for a few dollars. You’ve already got the mower out, right?

9. Write.

You don’t have to start a blog and post regularly (though there’s success to be found there, too). Instead, just write articles and submit them to services like Associated Content or make “lenses” at Squidoo. It’s a great way to burn an hour or two on a lazy evening and earn a few bucks in the process.

10. Do simple tasks.

Amazon’s Mechanical Turk will pay you a few cents for a mindless task that just takes a few seconds. One of my friends does this on her laptop during commercial breaks when she’s watching a television show and makes enough to cover basic cable.

11. Babysit.

If you already have kids at home, put out your shingle as a babysitter. Most evenings, you’re already at home, so you’ll be getting paid just to mind another little one around the house. I know several people who do this.

12. Deliver groceries.

If you know of any elderly folks or shut-ins who have difficulty getting out to buy groceries, give them a ring whenever you shop and offer to pick up what they need. They’ll often pay you several dollars extra for the service (and even if they don’t, it’s a great way to help someone in need).

13. Make crafts.

Many people enjoy some sort of craft as a hobby. Create projects that reflect the best of your work, then sell them on sites like etsy. Anything from knitting to woodworking to scrapbooking to jewelry making can make you a few dollars in your spare time.

14. Be a “search guide.”

If you’re just browsing the ‘net, why not help others find what they’re looking for online and make a few bucks? Cha Cha does just that – people send text messages to the service with questions, they pop up on your computer, you figure out the answer, send it back, and earn a bit to throw towards your debts.

15. Give charitably.

Give what you can to charities – goods and other donations. Then, when you get the receipts for tax deductions, figure up how much you “get back” on your taxes and contribute that to your debts.

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